


Skittish

by Aria_Lerendeair



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean sucks at dating, First Date, He is also tired of Dean's shit, M/M, Sam is a catalyst, Shy Cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-02
Updated: 2013-09-02
Packaged: 2017-12-25 09:31:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/951497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Lerendeair/pseuds/Aria_Lerendeair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cas asks Dean out on a date, but things don’t go as planned. Dean doesn’t do dating. Or wooing. Until Sam smacks some sense into him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Skittish

**Author's Note:**

> So this was supposed to be really cute and fluffy and wonderful and then Dean had to go and make it angsty on me. 
> 
> Written as a prompt fic for the lovely, lovely shootingawallwhenyourebored who asked for Dean and Cas' first date.

Castiel smoothed down his tie and looked at Sam once more. “You are certain that I need not attire myself differently Sam?” 

Sam chuckled and shook his head. “Cas, Dean is going to say yes. I promise. Besides, if you are going to wear something special, you do it for the actual date, not the asking-out piece.”

“I understand. I merely wish to conform to the proper ‘dating’ rituals.” Castiel said and closed his eyes, picturing Dean’s eyes smiling at him. That image always succeeded in helping him calm what Sam called “butterflies” in his stomach. 

“Good. Go get ‘em tiger.” Sam watched Cas open his mouth to say something ridiculous, probably that he wasn’t a tiger and beat him to it. “It’s just a phrase Cas. I am wishing you good luck.” 

“Ah.” Castiel nodded and smiled at Sam. “Thank you for your well-wishes Sam. They are appreciated. I shall go speak to Dean now.” 

“All right Cas. And remember something for me?” Sam waited until Castiel had turned to face him again, one eyebrow raised in confusion. “Dean wants to be with you. The date itself doesn’t matter. Keep that in mind, okay?”

“Of course.” Castiel turned and continued walking to Dean’s room. He had studied this ritual over the centuries, however, he was certain that Dean would not appreciate the most common methods of dating requests.

He knocked on the door and waited for the grunt of acknowledgement from Dean before opening it and stepping into his room. Sam had assured him that this was a far superior method for approaching Dean compared to his usual method. 

Dean looked up from Slaughterhouse Five (a copy he’d lifted from the local library, but who cared about that sort of thing really) to see Cas standing awkwardly in the doorway. “Hey Cas, come on in.” 

“Thank you Dean.” Cas said, stepping in and closing the door behind him. “I wish to ask you something, but I am uncertain of your response.”

Dean blinked and laughed, closing the book and putting it back on his nightstand. “Well, that’s one hell of a way to preface a question Cas. Is everything all right?” 

“Yes. Of course Dean. There is nothing currently wrong.” Castiel felt those ‘butterflies’ from earlier resume dancing in his stomach. 

“Okay. So what’s up?” Dean smiled again, Cas really was adorable when he was nervous. It’d taken him ages to realize what ‘nervous’ looked like on the angel, but this was it, loud and clear.

Castiel felt the human urge to fidget and looked up to meet Dean’s eyes. They were a truly captivating shade of green that he had yet to see anywhere else in all the world. “I would like for you to accompany me to dinner at the local diner tomorrow evening. Perhaps then afterward we could attend a movie of your choosing or participate in some other activity? Would you, would that be amenable?” 

Dean opened his mouth to reply, but snapped it shut before something idiotic could escape. He took a deep breath and stared back at Cas. “Cas, did you just ask me out for dinner and a movie?” 

Castiel frowned. Perhaps he had done something incorrectly. Dean’s initial reaction pointed in that direction, as the hunter had clearly been shocked by his request. “I did. Was this incorrect?”

“I...” Dean swallowed hard and had to look away from Cas for a moment. “No, Cas, it wasn’t. Why?” 

“I do not understand Dean. What are you asking why to?” Castiel stared hard at Dean’s cheek, counting the freckles that he had already counted a hundred times. The amount always seemed to be increasing, proportional to the time Dean spent in the sun. 

“Why are you asking me ou-to go with you to dinner and a movie?” 

“Sam assured me this was the proper way to begin a courtship. To demonstrate how I feel for you.” 

Dean was rarely out of his element. Or in an element that he couldn’t bullshit his way out of if he needed to. Castiel was smiling at him, sweet and so confused as to what could possibly be going wrong. He didn’t deserve the angel. He never would. “Cas, I can’t.” 

“Oh!” Castiel frowned for a brief moment before smiling again. “I did not consider that you may have already had plans for tomorrow evening. Would the following night be better Dean?” 

“No, it wouldn’t. Cas, look-”

“That is more than fine Dean. Perhaps you could tell me what evening would be best for you so I may avoid-”

“I’m telling you no, Cas. That I won’t go to dinner with you. Ever. Okay?” Dean growled out, clenching his hands into fists. 

Castiel was very quiet while he watched Dean, staring at his tense posture as he sat on the bed. “You do not wish for us to court then Dean?” 

Dean felt like the air had been punched out of him. Cas sounded, Cas sounded heartbroken. Of course, this proved that all he was good for was hurting the angel. “No. I don’t want us to court, date, for you to woo me or any of that bullshit.” 

“I see.” Castiel waited for Dean to meet his gaze again, to look at him, but Dean refused, continuing to stare at the wall. “I apologize for bothering you Dean.” Castiel didn’t wait to open the door, he moved from the bedroom to the library where Sam was waiting in an instant. 

“Cas!” Sam shut his book and smiled at the angel. “How’d it...” His voice trailed off when he saw the look on Cas’ face. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. “Cas...?”

Castiel pressed a hand to his heart. It hurt. “Thank you for reserving those movie tickets for Dean and I Sam, but it appears that they will not be required.” 

Sam stood up from his favorite chair and walked over to the angel. “Cas, what happened?”

“Dean has, has informed me that he has no wish for us to court under any circumstances. It appears you were incorrect. Thank you for all of your assistance Sam. Now, if you will excuse me.” 

“Where are you going Cas? Will you come back?” 

Castiel smiled at Sam. It felt as though he was missing a piece of himself, a piece he had left with Dean. “I will not be anywhere you cannot reach me with a prayer Sam.” It appeared that Sam had nothing additional to say, so Castiel took wing and flew. Faster and further than he had ever dared to fly before. He was falling all over again. It hurt.

 

 

“Damnit Dean!” Sam said as he threw open the door to Dean’s bedroom, his stomach giving a twist as the doorknob banged against the wall. “Did Cas piss you off or something? Why didn’t you say yes?” 

Dean could feel the sense of wrongness in his chest growing with every moment. “I don’t date, or woo, or whatever shit Cas wanted to do Sammy. You should have told him that.” 

Sam stared at Dean, unable to believe what he was hearing. “He’s in love with you! He has been planning this for weeks.”

The feeling of wrongness settled deeper into his chest. “I don’t do commitment Sammy. You know that.” 

Sam glared at Dean. “What is going to take then Dean? Cas dying for you? Again?” He watched Dean flinch and stepped closer to his big brother. “You kept that trench coat for him. You refused to let anyone else touch it.” 

“What do you want from me?”

“I want you to admit that you are head over heels in love with an angel! I want you to tell him that he ranks up there with the Impala and I on the scale of shit you care about! I want you to tell Cas that, because he deserves to know!”

“Fuck off Sammy!”

Sam grabbed Dean by his t-shirt and hauled him off of the bed, glaring at him. “What is it? You are breaking that angel’s heart. Cas might not know it, but you are. Why?”

Dean pushed Sam away and fell back onto the bed. “I don’t have to explain it to you.” The unspoken words were there between him. That he was one of Alastair’s best torturers. That Castiel was and always would be an Angel of the Lord. 

“For Christ’s sake Dean! He knows! You think he doesn’t? Doesn’t know every single thing you did? He knows and wants you anyways!”

Dean flinched and swung his legs to the other side of the bed. “Sam, drop it.” 

“No!” Sam tossed two tickets at Dean. “Here. Tickets to Pacific Rim. You’re going tomorrow night. The movie is at seven thirty. Dinner is at six. Dress nice and don’t be fucking late. You might want to pray to your date and make sure he shows up, since I’m sure that he’s as far away from here as he can possibly get.” 

Dean picked up the movie tickets and stared at them for a long moment. “What makes you think I’ll go?” No response from Sam made him look up. He was alone. God fucking damnit. 

 

 

At five thirty, Dean sat down on the side of his bed. He was wearing the one pair of jeans he had that didn’t have blood or other stains on it. His Led Zepplin t-shirt didn’t have any holes and Sam had actually ironed his green henley. He was as ready as he was going to get. 

“Cas. I know, I know you’re pretty pissed at me right now. I don’t...expect you to show up, but I wanted to let you know that I will be at the diner at six. And, I’ll be sitting in the fifth row from the back of the movie theatre at seven thirty. With popcorn. And those things you like. But yeah. I owe you an explanation, and I’d really love if you would give me the chance to give it.” 

There wasn’t any response from Cas, and the room stayed silent. Dean sighed and stood up, making his way over to the door. 

The drive to the diner in town was the longest he could ever remember it being. Metallica, AC/DC and Led Zepplin in that order failed to make him relax. After growling in frustration, Dean shut the radio off and finished the drive in silence. He parked the car and took a seat near the door, glancing around the room, mumbling ‘Christo’ under his breath. Old habits would always die hard. There were some he would never be able to break, and ones like this? He wasn’t going to bother to try.

He ordered two burgers, explaining that his date (Dean refused to admit that he had choked on that word) was running late, but would be joining him shortly. The waitress gave him a pitying look, but nodded. 

Dean sipped his milkshake as soon as it was delivered and settled back in the seat, wondering how this would have gone if he had said yes to Cas. Would Cas have attempted some weird version of small talk that would never have worked for them? Or ask him something else ridiculous? He put the glass down on the table and smiled a little. Cas had probably asked Sam for advice. It would have been the most awkward date ever. He was right to have said no. 

Both of the burgers were delivered a few minutes later. Dean looked at the one across from him. Extra onion rings. Exactly as Cas preferred it. When had he picked that up? “Cas, please.” Dean mumbled. There was no answer, not that he had expected one. He stared down at the burger on his plate and felt his stomach turn over. He was the furthest thing possible from hungry. 

“Hello Dean.” 

Dean looked up, his eyes wide as he stared at Cas, who was sitting across from him, wearing his suit and trench coat, looking so perfectly himself that the knot in his chest immediately started to fade. “Cas.” 

Castiel looked down at the plate in front of him and picked up an ‘onion ring’. Deep-fried human delicacies never ceased to amaze him with their taste. “You have ordered my favorite meal.”

“Yeah, uh, I guess.” Dean took another long sip of his milkshake and dug into his cheeseburger. If he was eating, he wouldn’t have to talk to Castiel.

“Why are you here Dean?” 

Dean swallowed his food. So much for getting to avoid this conversation. “I’m hungry.” 

Castiel frowned at Dean, his brow creasing. “Why am I here with you, while you are eating?” 

“Because I asked you to be?” Dean hesitated before taking a bite. It didn’t taste as good as it should, and this conversation was rapidly making him lose his appetite. 

“You explained very clearly that you had no desire for us to be in this situation Dean. Why am I here?” Castiel said again, staring at Dean. 

“Let me get this to go. We’ll want it later. And I’m going to need beer for this conversation.” Dean said, flagging down their waitress, getting their food boxed up in a matter of minutes. Cas hadn’t said anything else after his announcement that they needed to get out of here, and Dean was feeling edgier by the second. 

He drove them to the nearest gas station and picked up a six pack. He was definitely going to need a beer for this. Instead of driving them back to The Batcave, Dean turned down a dirt path through an open field. He’d scoped this spot out months ago. After a little while, he pulled off the road. Cas looked over at him when he turned the car off and climbed out. 

“Come on Cas.” Dean said, grabbing the six pack and a blanket from the trunk. He spread it out along the trunk and climbed up, relaxing against his Baby’s rear window. He looked up at the stars. 

Castiel stood in front of Dean, admiring the sight of him reclining on his car. “What are we doing here Dean?” 

Dean popped the cap off of one beer and offered it to Cas. “You’re going to shut up and listen. Because I’m only going to say this shit once. Then we’re going to pretend it didn’t happen. Capische?” 

Castiel accepted the beer and watched as Dean opened another for himself and took a long sip of it. It was impossible to direct his eyes away from the sight of Dean’s pale skin as he swallowed. “I capische, Dean.” 

“All right. Then get up here.” Dean patted the empty space next to him. In a moment, Cas was reclined in the same position, still holding his beer. Dean looked up at the stars. He could do this. He could. Because the idea of hurting Cas again was too painful to think about. 

“If I’d said yes, what would we have talked about?” Dean said, his grip tightening on the beer as he took another sip. 

Castiel looked at Dean, but the man refused to look back at him. “I believe it is custom to discuss shared interests. Things we may have in common. What we are looking for in a mate.”

Dean wanted to chuckle, but the sound got stuck in his throat. He took several swallows of his beer. “That’s the part that doesn’t work.”

Castiel frowned. “I do not understand.” 

Dean sighed. “Cas. I can’t date someone. I’ve tried. What do we have in common? You’re an Angel of the Lord. I’m a hunter. I’ve been to Hell and back. I’ve got more baggage than an airport.” 

“I don’t under-”

“I know, I know. You don’t understand that reference.” Dean waved it off and took another pull of his beer. Cas had still yet to touch his. 

Castiel continued to observe Dean as he stared at the stars. The starlight made his skin even more pale. His freckles were bright against his cheeks. “I do not understand you Dean. You do not wish to be alone, abhor it when you are. Yet you say you lack the emotional ability to connect to another person. They are contradictory statements.”

Dean hummed and thought about that. It was true. To a point. “I do not want you to expect something I can’t give Cas. You’ll only end up disappointed and-” Dean cut himself off before he let that thought finish. No need to give the angel any ideas before it actually happened.

Castiel’s eyes widened with understanding. “You believe I will leave.” 

He should have bought something stronger than beer. He needed it now. Dean polished off the rest of his beer and opened another one, not bothering to answer. It was true, Cas didn’t need him to say it outloud. 

Castiel looked up at the stars. If Dean did not believe in the traditional courtship rituals for humans, perhaps then they simply needed to make their own. “I have no expectation Dean. There is no way to fail me. Perhaps if you tell me what you are able to give, I will tell you if that is satisfactory for what I feel?” 

Dean clenched his bottle tighter. “You want a list?” 

“No. I want what you are able to give Dean. Nothing more. But I require you telling me what that is.” Castiel stated, bringing his beer to his lips for a slow sip. 

Dean wanted to laugh. “Cas, I wouldn’t know where to start.” Even as he said that, Dean knew that wasn’t true. Images of he and Cas going on a nice long drive, just for the day, educating Cas on the best classic rock to be had, teaching him proper sarcasm. Other things, quiet things, like this, sitting and staring at the stars, like he had Sam had done were easy. 

“Perhaps, simply?” Castiel said, looking at Dean again. “I desire you Dean. To be...” Castiel trailed off for a moment, considering his words. “More than a friend in your eyes. Do you wish for that?”

“This is the strangest date I’ve ever been on.” Dean mumbled, looking down at his beer. He could feel Cas staring at him. 

“My question requires a simple yes or no answer Dean.” 

Dean hummed and had some more of his beer. “Cas, I need you to tell me what you want.” Maybe that would let him be on more even ground. Fuck, who was he kidding? 

Castiel let his eyes shift to the freckles he could see on Dean’s cheek. There were more since the last time he had counted. “You are lonely. I wish to replace that loneliness with my presence. I would like to eat cheeseburgers with you. I prefer coke to beer though.” 

Castiel thought for another moment. “I would enjoy going on what you call a ‘Road Trip’ with you. And perhaps Sam. I would like to sit shotgun sometimes.” He hesitated for a moment before adding, “I would like you to continue to teach me about your favorite bands as well Dean.”

He choked on his next sip of beer. Dean closed his eyes. There it was. His fantasy, everything he wanted, laid out for him. How could Cas be happy with only that?

“I do physically desire you as well. However, I understand that since I am in a male vessel, you would not be attracted to me in that manner. This is acceptable. It does not change my previous statements.” Castiel said, continuing to stare at Dean. His eyelashes appeared to tremble against his cheeks. 

Dean tried to think of something to say, to respond back with, but everything was inadequate. He kept his eyes closed, breathing slowly. Cas didn’t even understand what that meant, how much that meant to him, even if he was wrong about the attraction thing. Mostly. He took another drag of his beer and didn’t taste it. 

“Based on my description of what I would like Dean, is there something you cannot give me?” Castiel said, looking over at Dean again. He appeared to be struggling to breathe, his whole body tense, the grip on his bottle too tight. 

Dean rubbed a hand over his face. “What happens when it isn’t enough Cas?” 

“It will be.” Castiel said. 

Anger bubbled up in him, hot and searing, in the space of a second. “How do you know that?” Dean snarled. 

“Because it is more than I ever hoped to have with you, Dean.” 

Just like that, all of the anger left him. Dean sank back against his baby and gave himself a chance to breathe in and out. He held up a finger. “No more dates.” 

“As you wish, Dean.” Castiel said, watching the hunter. 

Dean opened one eye and glanced over at Cas. The angel was listening attentively. “But maybe, tomorrow I can make us burgers at the Batcave and start teaching you why Led Zeppelin is clearly superior to all other bands, past and present.” It was unfair how much Cas lit up at the idea. 

“I would enjoy that Dean.” Castiel said. 

Dean snorted. “Also, that other thing you mentioned.” He waved the beer in his hand. “Not going to be a problem. Have been and always will be an equal-opportunity lover. Might be a bit rusty, but there’s stuff you just don’t forget.” 

Castiel blinked at Dean, confused for a moment before his face cleared and he stared at Dean. “Are you referring to physical intimacy Dean? You would not...object?” 

Dean took another long swallow of his beer, struggling to find the right words. “Nah. Just not tonight. Tonight we are going to drink beer and watch the stars.” 

“Of course Dean.” Castiel settled back against the Impala again, raising the bottle to his lips. “What is the point of watching the stars Dean?” 

Dean chuckled and finished off his second beer, tossing it to the side, stretching a little. “There isn’t one Cas. It’s about enjoying your time with another person. Doing something together.” 

“I do not need to watch the stars to enjoy your company Dean.” Castiel said, still confused. 

Dean smiled and let his eyes fall closed, listening to Cas breathe. “Good to know. I’m much more interesting than the stars.”

“Yes. You are.” 

He cracked open an eye and found Cas looking at him again, his eyes so open and earnest. His heart did a hard flip in his chest. Dean opened his other eye and stared back at Cas, the moment feeling so much bigger than just him and Cas. “Cas?”

Castiel watched Dean, taking in every detail of Dean’s face, an expression he had not seen before was being directed at him and he could not look away. “Yes, Dean?”

Dean shifted and let his hand fall against Cas’, brushing their fingers together. His breath caught as Cas understood his intention and slowly threaded their fingers before squeezing his hand. His skin was lighter than Cas’, pale and freckled where Cas was darker.

Cas knew what was important. He didn’t let go.

**Author's Note:**

> I started crying at the bit with Castiel running away. I'm woman enough to admit it. That angel has some epic man pain, I'm not gonna lie. Poor baby.
> 
> Comments and Criticisms welcome!
> 
> You can find me here: http://aria-lerendeair.tumblr.com/
> 
> You can also watch me write fics like this (and dozens of others) live! Follow me on Livestream for fics, shenanigans and a general all-around awesome time! http://new.livestream.com/accounts/7212317


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